Exploring Jesus' teachings on nonviolent resistance to injustice using examples like turning the other cheek, giving your cloak, and going the extra mile. The discussion delves into the cultural background of 'eye for eye' laws, the deeper meaning of turning the other cheek, and the value of radical generosity in challenging societal norms.
Read more
AI Summary
Highlights
AI Chapters
Episode notes
auto_awesome
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
Jesus reinterprets ancient laws for nonviolent resistance.
Law of retaliation aimed to prevent vengeance escalation.
Jesus advocates for creative nonviolent responses against injustice.
Deep dives
Teaching the Wisdom Behind the Hebrew Bible Laws
Jesus reveals the deep ethical wisdom within the laws of the Torah by quoting laws from ancient Israel. The laws, like 'an eye for an eye,' were meant to control the impulse for revenge and prevent vengeance from escalating. Jesus provides three scenarios, such as 'turn the other cheek,' 'give your cloak as well,' and 'go the extra mile,' teaching bold non-violent ways to stand against injustice.
Understanding the Intent Behind the Law of Retaliation
The law of retaliation, symbolized by 'an eye for an eye,' aimed to limit vengeance and prevent spiraling violence. Despite its brutal appearance, the intent was not revenge but to ensure proportionate recompense. Historical contexts from ancient law codes like Hammurabi's Code shed light on the evolution of these laws, emphasizing fair recompense over escalating violence.
Challenging the Common Interpretation of 'Do Not Resist'
The phrase 'do not resist' is a complex translation from the Greek that challenges the traditional understanding. Jesus' response is a counter to standing against someone in a way matching their actions, advocating for a different, non-violent form of resistance. Scholars debate its nuanced meaning, urging a deeper exploration of response strategies.
Practical Applications of Non-Violent Resistance
The examples of turning the other cheek, giving your coat as well, and going the extra mile symbolize creative non-violent responses. Turning the other cheek challenges social hierarchy, offering an opportunity for the aggressor to reconsider. Similarly, offering your coat and going the extra mile demonstrate subversive generosity that exposes injustices while transforming relationships.
Empowering through Non-Violent Gestures
Non-violent actions like turning the other cheek, offering your coat, and going the extra mile empower individuals to respond creatively to injustice. These gestures invite reflection, challenge social norms, and promote transformation in relationships by emphasizing generosity, humility, and resilience in the face of adversity.
Sermon on the Mount E15 – In Matthew 5:38-42, Jesus offers wisdom from the Torah about retaliation, justice, and nonviolent resistance to injustice. He references a series of laws in Exodus 21, Leviticus 24, and Deuteronomy 19, all of which contain the familiar language of “eye for eye, tooth for tooth.” Jesus reveals the surprising wisdom within these laws, using real-life scenarios that would have been familiar to oppressed Israelites living under Roman occupation: turning the other cheek, giving your cloak, and going the extra mile. In this episode, Jon, Tim, and Michelle discuss how these actions can open up our imaginations for boldly standing against injustice in creative, nonviolent ways.
You can experience our entire library of resources in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.
Show Music
Original Sermon on the Mount music by Richie Kohen
BibleProject theme song by TENTS
Show Credits
Jon Collins is the creative producer for today’s show, and Tim Mackie is the lead scholar. Production of today’s episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer; Cooper Peltz, managing producer; Colin Wilson, producer; and Stephanie Tam, consultant and editor. Tyler Bailey, Frank Garza, and Aaron Olsen are our audio editors. Tyler Bailey is also our audio engineer, and he provided our sound design and mix. JB Witty does our show notes, and Hannah Woo provides the annotations for our app. Today’s hosts are Jon Collins and Michelle Jones.
Powered and distributed by Simplecast.
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode